Arc-welded truss



K Apr. l0, 1923.

' W. SCHENSTROM ARC wELDED TRUss Wim.

Patented Apr. l0, 1923.

PATENT oir-rica.

WILLIAM SCHENSTBOM, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.'

Anc-WELDED rRUss.

application a''d october 11, 1920, serial No. 416,011. 'aeneweamvember 4, v1922. serial No.I 599,160.

, To all whom z't may concern.' l

Beit known that I, WILLIAM SoHENsTRoM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arc-VVeldedy the elimination of inconvenience dueto the process employed.

In neral, the improvements in the linishe joint reside in making possible the employment of beams for the fabrication of a structural frame-work, each of which may be chosen of a size just suflicient to meet the stresses which are to be resisted, without any allowance being necessary for Weakness at a joint. In other words, it is an object of the invention to' eect a?" finished joint' in framed beam construction Vin` which the joint, without the addition-of reinforcing parts, is as strong or strongerv than any other portion of the structure.

Heretofore in building constructionit has l 4 back of a point of. Weakness at the joint, so

that either speciallyv reinforced joints were been customary to join beams by means of rivets passing through rivet holes at the locality to be joined. Obviously the provision of rivet holes has reduced the effective cross section vof the beams at their locality and, in consequence, has'impaired'the total strength of 4the beam employed, particularly its strength in tension so that, as a consequence,

the design of such a structurek required the employmentof beams sufiiciently strong at the weakest locality', namely, the riveted joint, to resist stresses for which it wasdesigned, While the main portions of thebeani, where there were no joints, naturally were of excessive stren h for the purpose con o building construction in which riveted joints Were employed caused a ve considerable increase in the cost.v .In ad ition, the disadvantage of the noise attendant upon rivet- 'ing operations is well-known and of not a little consideration in its limiting e''ect -upon the hours during `Qwhich A operations may be permitted on account ofI the character of the nuisance. f

Some attempts have been made to weld beams and other framed parts but without due regard to the qualities upon which the real strength of structural steel depends. In the building art, hard rolled steel in the form of a beam is standard construction stock. A large percentage of the strength of this material is dependent upon both the state'and the chemical Vcomposition of the beam. Ordinaril that is, by ordinary methods used hereto ore, the process of welding one beam to another requires the heating of a considerabe portion of the beam to a welding temperature and subjecting it and the part to which it is to be welded, likewise heated to a welding temperature, to suicient pressure to bring the parts into molecular contact. This necessaryheating changes both the state and the chemical composition of the steel beam at the locality of the weld. NThe/Heating itself is suicient toanneal the beam or, in other words, to destroy that hardness resembling temper imparted to a beam by the rolling operation in a mill.

The ordinary Weld likewise is apt to change the chemical character of the steel by eliminating a percentage of the carbon content. This likewise produces a point of weakness. Thus it should be understood that 1 previous methods ofjoining beams either by riveting or welding had the draw.-

required in order to obtain the full use of the cross section of the beam proper, or the designing of the structure'l was perforce alimited to the relatively smaller strength atl the joint when no special reinforce at'zthe joint Was employed.

This application is directed to two inventions,-frst', the generically new article of manufacture, namely, two or more framed beams in which each beam has uniform cross sectlon throughout, 1s of unlform chemlcal composition and state throughout, and is of hard rolled steel, and providedwith a simple joint between contacting surfaces of strength coequal with the beams themselves. The applicationl is likewise directed to a more specie application of this generic invention, namely, annovel truss construction.

In carrying out the invention, the unchanged character of hard rolled steel beams is maintained, while at the same time a. sat.

isfactory durable and easil fabricated joint is rovided by' the use o the electric arc we d in such a manner that no alteration in the chemical composition of the steel can take place. s

In furthering this object, the negative electrode of an electric circuit in the form of a spelter pencil is employed in a suitable holder, while the beams to be welded form f diately| below the sur ace.

heating, due to the intense arc, is suliicient the positive electrode. The spelter is employed locally to strike an arc at the edge of `the surface contacting portions of the beams to be joined.` The actual-locality of the arc is raised to an intense temperature, but only locally. The spelter electrode melts and,l following the laws of electrolysis, is caused to flow directly against the work to be joined. The spelter, as it flows, is molten, Whereas the surfaces to be joined, although approximating the melting temperature at their exact surfaces, areractically cold imme- The local surface to cause the ini'lowing spelter to form a molecular union which completes, as the process is continuedfrom spot to spot, a strong joint without altering the state or chemical composition of the beams themselves.` In fact, the beams are strengthened at the locality of the joint by the amount of the spelter applied. The s elter may -be of soft iron or any of the usua iron alloys used in the art of electric arc' welding.

The objects of theinvention will be set .forth more particularly in the accompanying claims, which are dlrected merely for the purposes of illustration to lthe illustrative embodiment of' the inventionadescribed in the following, specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and/in which like char,- acters designate corresponding parts in the n several figures. In the drawings- Figjl `is a fragmentary side elevation showmg one halfwof the roof truss complete;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of t e structure shown in Fig. 1; t

' Fig. 3 is a detail ofthe peakformation of the truss of Figs. 1 and 2,

Flg. 4 is a perspective view of Vthle linished peak construction of -the truss, lbut drawn to an enlarged scale;l

Fi 5 is 4a section taken along line .V--Va joint ram, showing the method of forming the joints in accordance with the invention.

In practicing the invention, any two beams indicated for lllustration in Fig. 8 by 100 .and 101, are positioned relatively as may be desired for the finished framed structure,

but of necessity'so that a portion 102 of the beam 100 mutually contacts with a portion 103 of the beam 101. Along the edges 104, 105, et cetera, of the mutually contacting surfaces 102 and 103is formed an electrlc arc weld. At this point it should be understood that this expression an electric arc weld is `intended to include either a complete welded ridge which extends around the entire encircling edge bounding the mutually contacting surfaces, or a weld which involves only a portion of such edge, or a plurality of welds, each covering an extent, more or less, of the said edge.

A suitable clamp, the positive terminal of a suitable welding circuit 107, is clamped to one or both of the beams and 101, which are suitably temporarily held together, asindicated in Fig. 8, while the negative electrode 108, in the form of a spelter pencil of the desire'd chemical composition, carried by a holder 109, extending from the negative circuit.

110, is serviceable 4'forapplication directly to the locality of the joint. formed between the spelter tip 111 and the vaes The arc is edge 104. In carrying out th1s process, the

manipulation is such that not more than a spot of about one eighth of an inch in diameter at a time on the beam is surface-heated to anyr appreciable extent. Such a spot, however, is of sufficient extent to effect a molecular, union with a drop of spelter 112. These drops or splotches of spelter may be applied one over the other until a ridge or joint of suiiicient extent along the edge 104 is built up. The better to illustrate the more or less complex complete structure framed in accordance with the .present invention, therev is described below the complete construction of a light truss suitable for shed roofs and the like, and one in which the full strength of the beams employed is utilized throughout the entire truss.

The truss A illustrated comprlses two 1ntegral portionsa and b symmetrical about, l

the'jvertical plane extending through the peak 1. The bottom chord 2 and the top chord 3 are formed (preferably of T-irons .-with their webs 4 an 5 vertical. In forming the^t`russ a gusset piece is first removed from the web 5 of the topl chord 3 for the location of the peak 1, so that a. triangular `notch 6 of the desired angularity to permit the edges of the notchA 6 to contact when the top chord 3 is'bent, as indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 3, to form the desired slope for the truss. After the top chord 3 iS bent as dscribed, the ends of the top andA bottom chords are secured to e h other, as is s ecifically illustrated for th end C.

Pllhe webs 4 and l5 are brought and clamped into close contact, as indicated by the meeting line 7 in Fi 6. .The electric arc weld 8 is formed a ong every terminal edge of the surfaces of webs 4 and 5 which are in contact at the end C. In the forming of such a weld no weakening of the joint occurs. ln fact, additional metal such as ironis employed to form the weld.

The formation of end joints between the top and bottom chords gives the final shape Vto the truss, during which process a templet may be employed, ifdesired. After the ends C are joined, the braces may be applied. In the truss illustrated, one brace d in the form of an angle has its web l() in direct contact with the web-5 of the topchord A at the locality of the peak 1. An electric arc weld 11 closes every terminal edge of the surfaces of the webs 10 and 5 in contact, so that the space therebetween is hermetically sealed. A sym-- metrical brace e has its web 10 directly a plied to the web 5 on the opposite side of t e peak and is similarly secured by an electric K arc weld 12. The edges of the triangular I gle stock. Its web 16 at notch 6 are also secured by an electric arc weld v13. in this manner the peak joint A1s completely fabricated without the use of a ening the normal strength of the top chord or the braces.. A second vertical brace ,f for each half of the truss is secured at its ends preferably in vertical osition near the of brace d, so that vits web 15 directly contacts with the webs 4 and 5 of the bottom and top chords 2 and 3. It is preferred, although not necessary, that this brace f be located at the same side of the webs 4 and 5 as is'the brace d.

A counter brace g for each half of the truss is preferably provided of .suitable anits ends is joined` directly to the webs 4 and 5 of the top and bottom chords but preferably on the opposite sides'of these webs from the braces d and f. Electric are welds 17 and 18 com-v pletely cover the meeting edges of the mutually contactin space between the webs at the ends of this race g.v

In Fig. l5 the sectional illustrationwell illustrates the -joint B of the braces d, f and g with the bottom lchord 2. AThe electric arc weld 20 ofthe brace f is shown in this instance not only with a portion 21 covering the meeting edge of` the contacting webs but also with a portion 22 covering the edges of i the meeting portions of the flanges 23 and 24.

This is likewise true of the electric weld 25 for the brace j which has a portion 26 'cover-v mg the meeting edges between the anges 23 and 24. Y

'It has been found desirable to reinforce.

*OP @90rd near its @ads and it is preferrea una this be accomplished by the direct application to the web 5 .of the top chord'of an angle 30 extendingk from the his reinforcinfr angle is directlysecured to the top chord A With its web and that of the top chord in direct contact by a suitable electric arc weld 35,' which preferably is of an extent completely to conceal the entire contacting surfaces between the meeting webs.

At desired intervals along the top chord 3 are secured angles 36 which are preferably attached by an electric arc weld 37. These angles 36 serve ,as anch/orages for the pursecure by uniform cross section, substantially the same gusset plate and without 1n any way weak- 'a hardness in the nature of temper; portions of two or more ofsaid beams having mutual surface-contacting portions; and an' electric are weld joining said two or more beams along the edge of said surface-contacting portions.

2. A joint for structuraland other members of ferrous metal having a hardness in thel nature of temper, comprising two mutuallyV surface contacting lapped portions; a series of overlapping electric arc welds spanning the exposed parting edge between said' lapped portions, with substantially the entire cross-section of said members maintained in its initial hardness.

3'. A joint for strudtural `and other members of ferrous metal having a hardness in the nature of temper, comprising two mu tually surface .contacting lapped portions; a

"series of overlapping electric arc welds spanning the exposed parting edge between said lapped portions, covering said edge in its entire extent and hermetically sealingoif i said lapped portions, with substantially the entire cross-section of said members maintained in its initial hardness and whereby said joint is protected against the entrance of moisture and its bursting action upon freezing.

4. The process of framing beams of hard rolled steel comprising temporarily clamp;

Ai two H atportions o f beams one to'the ot er; maintaining the entirel beams sub-- oint 31 of the brace g to the end joint C. i

restricted area at the edge of the mutually' contacting portions of said beams; and electrolytically causing molten ferrous metal to flow rlliylilon the said locally heated spot.

5. e process of joining structural and other members of ferrous metal having a hardness in the nature 'of temper, comprising temporarily holding two mutually contactable portions la pcd together; maintaining the entire sai members substantially cold; locally applying the intense heat of an electric arc to restricted-spots one at a time about the exposed parting edge of said portions lapped together; electrolytically causing molten ferrous metal to flow upon each said'locally heated spot, one at a time, whereby a strength increasing joint is fabricated without drawing or heat-altering the inherent hardness of saidv members.

' 6, A truss comprising a bottom chord and a top chord of webbed-beams with the webs at the ends of both said chords in direct contact and mutually secured-by an electric arcv Weld; and braces of Webbed-beams having the webs at their opposite ends directly connected by electric arc welds to the respective webs of said bottom and top chords.

7. A truss comprising a bottom chord and an archedto chord of webbed-beams with the webs at t e ends of both said chords in direct contact and mutually secured by an electrical arc weld completely enclosing the contacting surfaces; and braces of webbedbeams having the webs at their opposite ends directly connected by electrical welds to .the respective webs of said bottom and top chords.

8. A truss comprising a top chord of Webbed-beam construction having a V- shaped piece removed at the peak and being Y bent so that the `edges at the removed portion contact; braces or struts of webbe -beam construction having their .webs directly contacting with the web of said top chord near the locality where said V-shaped piece was removed; and arc welds" extending along every terminal edge of the area in contact between said contacting webs so that the space bet-Ween contacting, rmanent,

webs is hermetically closed and a secure mechanical joint is provi ed.

In 'witness whereof I have` signed my name to this specification, this 23rd day of September, 1920.

' WILLIAM sCHENsTRoM. 

